#TruthisTruth @EquinoxFDU Vol. XXX Issue VI Saturday, February 9, 2019 Free FDU Students Send Valentines NEWS OPINION ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS PATRICIA RESSELL-DERAS MAYA PAGE PATRICIA RESSELL-DERAS ANTHONY COVINO Public Safety talks on New Equinox editor speaks FDU makes Grammy Knights basketball updates weather response policy about position predictions Page 7 Page 2 Page 3 Page 5 2 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019 NEWS Public Safety: Storm Policy ‘Play by Ear’ By CASSANDRA GILBERT Managing Editor In December, The Equinox received a letter regarding the November snowstorm and one student’s story of struggle, including how he believed Public Safety had failed him and his fellow students. The Equinox sat down with University Director of Public Safety Dave Miles to discuss the weather response policies. The policy prior to the severe snowstorm was, “Pretty much the campus closes at a certain time, everybody leaves, and the only people we have on campus [are] the students in the residence halls,” Miles said. Public Safety realized after this snowstorm that this tactic was not sufficient, especially with a campus that Photograph by Patricia Ressell-Deras is predominately commuters. “What we will be doing is through, forcing the Public “Possibly. Possibly. “[S]ometimes common Uber, whatever anybody we’ll be keeping the Student Safety officers to abandon Y’know you have to sense has to play into some of wants,” Miles said. Union Building open,” Miles their vehicles and walk. understand, again, the this also,” Miles said. “What “Everybody has a right said. “I’ve got to say, it was library, the library is a big we urge people to do… [if] to write whatever they want The reason for this, wintertime, it was November, building. [If] we start putting you know the storm’s coming, and to make their complaints according to Miles, is that so you had a jacket on…And students in there, we have y’know, leave a little earlier.” known,” Miles said. “Some of the SUB has heat, Wi-Fi it wasn’t like we had a foot of to monitor where they’re This recommendation the things [dry clothes and connection, couches, and snow . It was ice, and a lot going, so we would have to came in response to the driving students’ home] were study space. of other things, yes,” he said. see at that time. Yes, there’s student saying he was on kind of unreasonable, as far “We opened up the The two weeks leading Internet in there, there’s campus until 8 P.M. as I’m concerned. And again, Student Union Building, but up to the storm Nov. 15, couches in there, but it’s a “When we closed at the person that wrote the some students didn’t feel that however, temperatures different type of building. We three o’clock, it wasn’t until letter was not the only person was good enough because ranged from 41 degrees to as can’t have people on three about eight o’clock that the that was inconvenienced.” they couldn’t see the buses… high as 74. Even Miles said, different levels. Student student complained. So that’s Miles explained that they And again, we have to put “it was predicted, but nobody Union Building is kind of a five-hour difference,” Miles could not provide dry clothes people in a location that has prepared for it.” Despite a student building and its said. “[T]he student was on from the bookstore like the the facilities that they need, this acknowledgment, Miles combined lounge areas, but campus and then decided to student requested because and that’s why we chose the continued to maintain then other areas-are locked. go to the radio station, and it is an outside company Student Union Building. that the SUB was the most We would’ve had to go in then from the radio station that they had no right to Because number one: it was reasonable place to send and start locking areas and wanted to go at eight o’clock give out. He explained that the closest building to Becton students. closing areas off,” Miles to Becton Hall, this is five they could not simply drive Hall. We’re not going to leave Miles explained that said. “[W]ould we go to hours after the storm has hit, students’ home because then them in Becton Hall because the reason students weren’t other buildings? Possibly… why go at three o’clock when they’d “have nobody on the Becton Hall is a classroom allowed to remain in Becton that’s something that’s hard the storm is starting[?]” campus.” building. There’s not was due to safety concerns. to predict until something The email to the FDU The situation does comfortable chairs in there “We just can’t have happens.” community that the campus demonstrate just how for people to sit, so that’s why every building open, y’know, Overall, a consistent was closed came in at 3:12 important it is for students we made the decision to do for safety reasons, because theme was that Public Safety P.M. The student reported to speak up. Miles said that it that,” Miles said. “Becton to especially with weather, [we] will “play it by ear.” that he was waiting for his was only after he saw the letter the SUB is not a far walk.” may not be able to get there “We don’t want a bus, which never came, until that Public Safety decided to The SUB is offset from in the event of a problem,” repeat of what happened 3:30 P.M. before deciding come up with a strategy to the street and, given icy, Miles said. last [semester]. We don’t to make his way to the radio tackle these situations in the snowy, and windy conditions, When asked if they had want to take the criticism, station. After he got done future. This talk did not come can be viewed as a far considered opening the we don’t want the students with his show, he reportedly about after the incident itself, walk, especially if, as Miles library due to the fact that it to feel inconvenienced, so decided to wait in Becton but rather as a direct result of reiterated, people were not poses the same conveniences [we] don’t want a repeat since his bus still hadn’t the published letter. prepared. When asked if the as the SUB, but is the building of that and if we’ve got to arrived, so he could stay “I just want to say that, sidewalks were salted and right next to Becton and also make adjustments, we make warm and still see the bus for the student that wrote cleared of snow at 8 P.M. is in view of the bus stop that adjustments,” Miles said. coming. the letter, we don’t want this (the time of the incident at the students were concerned “As far as them staying on The student had reported to happen, we tried to do Becton), Miles could not with seeing, Miles said they campus…the university, in his letter that no buses the best that we could, and confirm. hadn’t. through Residence showed up until this time hopefully it won’t happen “You have to understand, Earlier in the interview Life, will try and make that were in service and that again,” Miles said. crews coming here have to get Miles had said, “Sure. Again, accommodations for them Ubers were too expensive. here. It’s not where they’re another area we can look at,” with a room. However, what The student had apparently To read the full letter standing here and waiting. when the question of opening you have to understand is complained about being sent in to the Equinox, please But they started doing the the library had come up, but that the university will not kicked out, not about being go to https://fduequinox. work as soon as they got after asking if they would provide any kind of bedding stranded on campus. wordpress.com here,” Miles said. have considered opening or anything.” “We’ll assess it but we’ll He did, however, the library that night had Miles’ recommendation also help if need be, to check acknowledge that their own students asked, Miles was to students is that they leave with New Jersey Transit, vehicles were unable to get reluctant to say yes. campus more quickly. check with taxis, check with SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019 3 OPINION e. the equinox From the Editor’s Desk: An Open Letter to the FDU Community Managing Editor. Honestly, it the act of free speech is being To all FDU students, The I am asking the FDU By MAYA PAGE was not an easy choice for me treated like a gift. I believe Equinox is here to listen to community to please Editor-in-Chief to take. that the FDU community you and we encourage anyone support The Equinox and its For four years, I sat in The benefits from being this interested to reach out to us endeavors. If I have learned one great Equinox newsroom, learning bridge of communication and to get involved. thing so far in my life, it is that from the exceptional editors between students, staff, and change is inevitable. Fighting that have held this position administrators. What we do that only hinders growth. before me. I watched as is important, not only for the It takes courage to walk out they tackled tough decisions campus, but for our staff, both of a comfort zone into the and made difficult calls.